Decavalent IgM antibodies display measurable binding avidity to antigens, even though binding affinity may be low. The multivalent structure of pentameric IgM provides the potential for cross-linking cell surface targets, endowing the soluble antibodies with biological potential not normally associated with immune function.
Dendritic cells are efficient antigen-presenting cells (APC). These cells express class I and class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) peptide-presenting molecules on their cell surfaces, along with a series of costimulatory molecules (Banchereau and Steinman (1998) Nature 392:245–252). Naïve T cells express receptors for these dendritic cell ligands. Following recognition of peptide-antigen presented in the context of class I or class II molecules, the structure of the T cell membrane is reorganized, bringing together the elements of the T cell receptor with other cell-surface molecules, including the co-receptors CD4 or CD8 and the costimulatory receptors CD28 and CTLA-4 (Monks et al. (1998) Nature 395:82–86; and Wulfing and Davis (1998) Science 282:2266–2269). Interactions within the newly formed macromolecular complexes determine the outcome of inductive events transduced into T cells by dendritic cells.
Dendritic cells reside in a variety of tissues and display distinct tissue-associated phenotypes (Strunk et al. (1997) J. Exp. Med. 185:1131–1136; Caux et al. (1996) J. Exp. Med. 184:695–706; Wu et al. (1996) J. Exp. Med. 184:903–911; and Vremec et al. (1992) J. Exp. Med. 176:47–58). The relationships among the cell lineages of these different subsets of cells are not firmly established. A large body of work has emerged focusing on dendritic cells generated in vitro from bone marrow or blood precursors (Mayordomo et al. (1995) Nat. Med. 1:1297–1302; Nonacs et al. (1992) J. Exp. Med. 176:519–529; Steinman and Witmer (1978) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 75:5132–5136; and Young and Steinman (1990) J. Exp. Med. 171:1315–1332). The cells generated in vitro express high levels of class I antigens and the series of costimulatory ligands associated with endogenous dendritic cells (Fagnoni et al. (1995) Immunology 85:467–474; and Bancereau et al. (2000) Annu. Rev. Immunol. 18:767-811). Importantly, they are able to efficiently activate naïve T cells, a function that is the signature of the dendritic cell. A method for clinically promoting dendritic cells to stimulate T cell activation would be useful to treat immunocompromised patients.